Current-interrupter for high-potential circuits



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELII-IU THOMSON, OF SVVAMPSCOTT, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAQ ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF BOSTON, D'IASSACIIUSETTS.

CURRENT-INTERRUPTER FOR HIGH-POTENTIAL CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 522,865 dated July 10,i894. Application filed February l3, 1893- Serial No. 461,154. (Nomodel.)

is fastened a hook or eye G, adapted to en- To 0% whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIHU THOMSON, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Swampscott, county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts,have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Current-Interruptersfor High-Potential Gircuits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for interruptiug high potentialcircuits, such for instance as used in the transmission of powerbyalternating or multiphase currents, where the potential is as high asfive thousand or ten thousand volts, or more. When such a circuit isbroken there is formed an are which it is necessary to extinguish atonce to prevent injury to the apparatus. lily-invention aims toaccomplish this by simultaneously separating the terminals very quicklyand subjecting the are to an air blast. These effects may beproduced inavariety of 'ways, but it is preferred to use a spring drum forseparating the terminals, said drum operating to reel up a flexibleconducting cable to which one'of said terminals is attached. It is alsopreferred to so arrangethe apparatus that the winding up of the cableactuates the air pump for giving the blast. An apparatus for embodyingthese features is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a longitudinal sectional elevation. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged viewsof the piston. Fig. 4. is a plan of the spring. Fig. 5 is a view of thesetting handle. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are modifications, and Fig. 9 is 2.diagram of a circuit including two interrupters.

Upon a suitable base A of insulating material is mounted a tube B, alsoof non-conducting material, such as hard rubber or porcelain. At one endof'the tube is a cylindrical chamber 13 arranged transverse to the tubeB and preferably a little to one side, as shown in Fig. 4. Housed in thechamber is a drum 0 turning freely on journals 0. A spiral spring D hasone end attached to the wall of the chamber and the other end to thedrum or to one. of its journals, as shown. ound on the drum is aflexible conducting cable E, the free end of which is attached to a headF sliding in the tube B, being preferably a piston snugly fitting thetube. To the head F gage with the hooked end h of a lever 1I, suitablymounted on the base A in line w th the open end of the tube. The lever.carries the armature i of an electro magnet I, the armature being heldnormally away from. the magnet by a spring K A shield L is interposedbetween the tube and the magnet, the

hooked end It projecting through a slot in the shield. When the hook Gis released from the hook h the springl) rotates the drum and winds upthe cable E, thereby drawing the head F into the tube.

The hooks G and it constitute the terminals of the circuit, the currententering the binding post a, and passing thence to a ournal of the drum0, with which one end of the cable E is electrically connected, itsother end being electrically connected with the hook G. The book 7b isconnected by wire a: with the binding post a through the electro magnetI.

9 showsthe arrangement of circuits, the interrupter being inserted in asecondary circuit, 2, between the primary, 1, and the work circuit, 3.It is preferred to usetwo interruptcrs, one in'each branch of the closedsecondary circuit.

To reset the instrument, a long insulating handle M is used, with a hookm on the end of it, by means of which the attendant reaches into thetube and pulls out the head F till the hook G engages with the hook h.The electro magnet I iswound to respond only to an abnormal current,upon the passage of which the hook G is released, and the spring rapidlyseparates the terminals G h, thereby breaking the circuit and also theare which follows their separation. In order to extinguish this are morequickly and positively, the head F' is made to act as a piston inconncction with the tube 13, compressing the air and forcing it outthrough a suitable ventin the piston directly against the are. To thisend, the head is preferably a solid disk except'the openings f near itscenter, said openings leading into a nozzle F surrounding the hook G andpreferably somewhat tapering'in order to concentrate the strength of theblast at the desired point.

To intensifythe effect of the blast, by cans ing it to start with asudden putt, the air may be allowed to escape freely through some othervent until the piston has acquired a certain velocity. Thus the tube maybe perforated with holes I) [or a portion of its length; or the pistonmay be mounted on a cage f which allows it to stand out beyond the endof the tube when the hooks G hare engaged.

Instead of the hooked handle M, a rod N may be used to reset theinstrument, being inserted through a hole in the closed end of the tube,to shove the piston outtill thchooks engage. A lap valve Z) closes thehole when the rod is withd awn.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An interrupter for high potential circuits, comprising twoseparable-terminals, an insulating tube, a head sliding in said tubeand. carrying one of said terminals, and automatic means for quicklymoving said head when the terminals areseparated, substan-' tially asdescribed.

2. An interrupter for high potential circuits, comprising two separableterminals, an insulating tube, a head sliding in said tube and carryingone of said terminals, and a spring actuated drum connected with saidhead, substantially as set forth.

3. An interrupter for high potential circuits, comprising two separableterminals, an insulating tube, a head sliding in said tube and carryingone of said terminals, a spring actuated drum, and a conducting cablewound on said drum and connected with the terminal on the sliding head,substantially as described.

4. The combination with two separable terminals, of a spring actuateddrum connected with one of said terminals, and an electro magnet adaptedto disconnect said terminals, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a sliding head carryin g one terminal, of ahooked lever constituting the other terminal and an electromagnet foractuating said lever to disconnect the two terminals, substantially asset forth.

6. The combination with an insulating tube having a chamber at one end,of'a spring actuated drum in said chamber, a head sliding in the tube, aflexible conducting cable wound on the drum and connected with saidhead, a hook carried by said head and electrically connected with saidcable, a hooked lever and an electromagnet adapted to vibrate saidlever, substantially as described.

7. The combination withtwo separable terminals, ot' a releasing devicefor disconnect iug them, a spring for quickly separating them, and adevice operated by said spring for generating an air blast to extinguishthe are, substantially as described.

8. The combination with two separable terminals, of a tube, a pistonsliding therein and carrying one of said terminals, and having openingsadjacent thereto, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with two separable terminals,of a tube, a pistonsliding therein carrying one of said terminals, and having openingsadjacent thereto, anda nozzlesurronnding said openings, substantiallyasdescribed.

10. The combination with two separable terminals, of a tube, a pistonsliding therein carrying one of said terminals and having openingsadjacent thereto, and means for permitting the air to escape until thepiston has gathered headway, substantially as set forth. 11. Thecombination with two separable terminals, of a tube, a piston slidingtherein, carrying one of said terminals, and having openings adjacentthereto, andaspring d rum connected with said piston, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of February,1893.

ELII'IU THOMSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. GIBBONEY, him/min l. HULL.

